Improved folding desk and beat



' initrd tutes sind @pitre Letters Patent No. 96,100, dated October 26,1869.

To all whom Ait 'may concern:

Pe it known that I, H. E. GILLET, of Oswego, in the county of Oswego,and State of New York, have invented a' new and usefulimprovementin'Foldiug `Seat and Desk; and I do hereby declare that the fol- \lowingis a full,` clear, and exact description thereof,

'which will enable others skilled .in the art to make and use the same,reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part ot' thisspeciiicnton.

This invention relates to improvements in folding desks and'seats forschools, having -for its object to' provide au improved arrangement ofthe joints upon` which the seat-anus oscillate; an improved arrangernentfor simultaneously disconnecting the bracesv of .the desk, for foldingit down, whereby one person may conveniently fold down desks -of anylength.

Figure l represents-.an end elevation o f a desk constructed accordingto my improvenrents;

Figure2 is a transverse sectional elevation iigure 3 is a partial`rearelevation ot' the same; an

Figure 4 represents a sectional elevation of the joint of the seat-arm.Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

A represents the end supports; f B, the back, rigidly attached thereto;I C, the folding seat; and

D, the folding desk. The seat is secured to the arms E, 'which I preferto make of `considerable breadth, in the Vdirection at right angles tothe seat, for the purpose of supporting a board or' otlrer-plate,'F, toform a book-case.

The saidarms E are pivoted to theend supports at' G, and have a rearextension, I and lugs at thel end thereofvvhichtake under ledges K when'folded down to maintain th-seat in the right position for sittingthereon, as represented in figs. 1 and 2.

In order to prevent the seats from being suddenly [thrown down,endangering the breakage of the arms,

and making rnmecessary noise, I provide a friction-joint forthe pivot G,as follows:

L represents a stud, projecting from each end support at the ,pointwhere the hole is formed for the. pivot-bolt4 M, and the said hole ispreferably made square for a certain portion of'its length, or it mayb'e the whole length, to prevent the turning of the bolt, and thewashers fming the friction-joint.

The arms are fitted to work Von the said studs, and slight projections Nformed thereon around the holes .to constitute "the -bearing-surfacesbetween the said 4arms and the end supports A, and a frictional pressureis maintained on the arms, between the end supports and a washer, O, bya' yielding washer, Y, of rubber',

or other similarsubstance, interposed between the said washer 0 andanother metallic washer, P, on the shank ,of the bolt at the head.

This arrangement provides a large bearing-surtiu-e for the holes throughthe seat-arms, and admits of adjusting the pressure by the bolt .M andits unt t any required degree, and"to compensate for wear.

Instead of rubber washers, elliptic or spiral springs may be used.

The" bolt and the washers thrilling. the frictionjoint, being preventedfromturning, relieve the tendency `ot` the metallic washersto split therubber wash,- ers by the unequal movements ot' the former on either sideof the latter; also the loosening'of thetigliteuing'- nut o'n the boltM.

The said desks D are hinged at the topsin the usual manner, and providedwith they braces O, hinged' thereto at R, and provided with studs Sattheir lower ends, which fall into and restiu the notches T in the upperends ofthe lslots U, when thedesks are raised up, and thereby maintainthe desks in' the elevated position.

' 'When it is desired to fold thesaid desks do n, the studs S are raisedout of the saidnrotchcs, und slide down in the slots U.

As these desks are sometimes made of considerable lenfth renderin itinconvenient for one rerson ,to b 1 raise both braces at once, to foldth'em down, I have provided the clank-shaft Y, extending from one end'support to the other, and 4provided with the tappets W and a hand-crank,X, so arranged, that by turning the shaft in the right direction by thehand-crank, the said tappets will strike the lower ends of the arms Oand {ra-isc their studs S out 'ot' the notches-T, simultaneously at eachen d, whereby one person may readily fold them down, no matter howloup,` they may he.

Having tlms described my invention.

I claim as new, and desire to secure -by Letters Patent- 1. The improvedfriction-joint for the seat-arms, consisting of the hub L, ofthe endsupports, wher-con the arms are suspended, the metallic washers O and P,the yielding washer Y, and the bolt M, all arranged as and for thepurpose specified. 2. The combination, with the braces O and the end.supports A, of the crank-shaft V, having thc tappets W, as and for thepurpose specified.

The above specification of my invention signed by me, this 1st day ofDecember, 1868.

H. E. GILLET.

Witnesses:

FRANK BLooKLnr, Amex.- F. Ronm'rs.

